Scottish Premiership champions Celtic need a permanent manager but will they turn to Newcastle United’s Premier League coach Rafa Benitez?
Guillem Balague has played down suggestions that Rafa Benitez would be interested in taking over at Celtic, claiming that the Spaniard is hoping to stay at Newcastle United while speaking on his official YouTube channel.
It is well documented that Celtic are in need of a new permanent manager after Brendan Rodgers walked away to take over at Leicester City in February. And Benitez, who’s contract at Newcastle expires in July, is just one potential appointment that the Scottish Premiership champions could consider given that he is set to become a free agent as things stand.
Balague, however, claims that the former Real Madrid and Liverpool coach wants to stay at St James’ Park and, even if he does bid farewell to The Magpies, another Premier League job would be his priority.
“The priority is to stay at Newcastle. The battle is to stay at Newcastle, if he gets enough support,” Balague said when asked about the possibility of Benitez taking over at Celtic.
“The kind of offers that he got, which are like €10million net a year, come from Saudi Arabia and from China which I don’t think are the places he should go next.
“If he doesn’t stay at Newcastle I think the Premier League will be the competition he would like to stay in. I think that will be the target.”
Benitez has once again guided Newcastle away from the relegation zone, sealing back to back wins against Leicester City and Southampton thanks to four goals form the in-form Ayoze Perez.
Celtic, meanwhile, appear to have already missed out on the likes of Steve Clarke and Marco Rose with interim coach Neil Lennon now looking like the most realistic option.
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